Comparing Chelsea's 2015 Summer Transfer Moves to Their Premier League Rivals
The Premier League title had barely been wrapped up a week, but Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho was looking ahead to the next campaign.
"Our squad next season will be very similar to this one, with a couple of new players. That's the basic improvement," he explained in May, per Simon Johnson in the London Evening Standard.
Well, Mourinho has certainly been true to his word. There's been little movement at Chelsea this summer, with the usual youth-team players going out on loan, with a couple of permanent deals thrown in to improve the bank balance.
Thus far, improvements haven't quite materialised in the way fans would have hoped.
There hasn't been a marquee arrival. In fact, Chelsea's signings to date in the summer transfer window have been like-for-like replacements for those Mourinho has lost.
The Blues have signed Asmir Begovic, to counter the departure of Petr Cech to Arsenal, and Radamel Falcao on loan.
Falcao's temporary signing is very much a case of one fading striker for another, with the Colombian taking Didier Drogba's place in the Chelsea squad.
It's injury, rather than age, that has curtailed Falcao's fortunes. After a difficult season in the Premier League with Manchester United last term, it's difficult to imagine him ever repeating the form that made him such a star with Porto and Atletico Madrid.
Mourinho spoke of "basic improvements," and judging by the past 18 months, Falcao is a basic signing.
Chelsea's relative silence has come against a backdrop of activity elsewhere from their rivals.
Manchester United have signed the likes of Bastian Schweinsteiger, Morgan Schneiderlin and Memphis Depay to strengthen in key areas, while Arsenal have added the talents of Cech.
Liverpool haven't been shy, either. They've worked the free-transfer market well, adding James Milner and Danny Ings to their squad, while Brendan Rodgers has also splashed out £29 million on Roberto Firmino and £12.5 million on Nathaniel Clyne.
The sale of Raheem Sterling for £49 million to Manchester City has paved the way for that spending.
City themselves have also spent a further £8 million on Fabian Delph.
The comparison between those clubs and Chelsea this summer outlines just how big the gap between the champions and their rivals actually is—or was, depending on your perspective about whether it's been closed on the back of this summer's business.
| Raheem Sterling | £49 million (from Liverpool) |
| Fabian Delph | £8 million (from Aston Villa) |
Mourinho is looking to tweak things; others are running close to an overhaul in some regards.
Liverpool have the biggest gap to close, and Rodgers knows this season could be make or break for him at Anfield. Losing Luis Suarez when he did had a major impact on his plans, and after the disappointment of 2014/15, the Reds boss is attempting to fill that void.
Firmino is untested in England, but we know what a threat he can be from his time in Germany. The Brazilian scores and creates goals—remind you of anyone?
It's going to take plenty more than hype alone for him and his new team-mates to emulate Suarez and the Class of 2014 that came so close to lifting the title, but Liverpool are sending out the right message.
The message is the same as the others who lagged behind Chelsea last season: "We're coming for you."
Other than Sterling, the moves we've seen this summer have been sensible. Perhaps on the back of Chelsea's business this time last year, Mourinho's rivals have realised substance is a much more valuable commodity than style.
In 2014, Louis van Gaal oversaw a lavish spending spree that totalled £145 million, breaking the British transfer record to sign Angel Di Maria for an inflated £59.7 million.
Regardless of that fee, Di Maria has been a major disappointment. In short, he's flopped spectacularly, and United are left footing a significant bill for their efforts.
| Petr Cech | £10 million (from Chelsea) |
The club are still willing to open their chequebook, yet the business they're conducting this summer is in all the right areas.
Last year seemed to be about making headlines, but the approach has been drastically altered for the better.
Van Gaal lacked a solid midfield last season, something he's attempted to remedy with Schweinsteiger and Schneiderlin.
Memphis will give United more threat and dynamism in attack, while Matteo Darmian could be the club's very own Cesar Azpilicueta—a right-back who arrives virtually under the radar but adds significant strength at the back.
All across the Premier League, teams are strengthening where they need to. Arsenal have finally sorted their decade-long goalkeeper problem with Cech, and City have addressed the need for more homegrown players.
If Chelsea sit still, that eight-point gap they finished up with in May is going to disappear. Quickly.
They may well be champions, but it would naive in the extreme to suggest Chelsea do not need to strengthen.
There are issues in attack that were exposed at times last season. At the back, beyond Kurt Zouma, Mourinho doesn't have a suitable replacement for John Terry and Gary Cahill, either.
| Bastian Schweinsteiger | £14.4 million (from Bayern Munich) |
| Morgan Schneiderlin | £25 million (from Southampton) |
| Memphis Depay | £31 million (from PSV) |
| Matteo Darmian | £12.7 million (from Torino) |
It's mid-July; the new season will soon start. It's been relatively quiet, but Chelsea now seem to have woken up to the threat of those around them.
A move for Barcelona's Pedro—as reported by Ian Ladyman in the Daily Mail—seems to carry weight, as does the rumoured £20 million bid for John Stones, per Sky Sports.
It's almost as though Chelsea have kept their cards close to their chest all summer. Mourinho and the board have surveyed the scene before them, refused to flinch and are making their moves now knowing what they're competing against.
Or maybe that's giving them too much credit.
The fact remains, though, that Chelsea have got the ball rolling. Eventually.
We're talking about rumours for now, but given how little we've seen of the champions in the transfer market, it's a sign things are progressing.
Pedro would certainly be an upgrade at Stamford Bridge. The Spaniard would add something Chelsea were missing from midfield last season: goals.
Only Eden Hazard and Diego Costa made it in to double figures for Chelsea in 2014/15, and that needs to be addressed.
| James Milner | Free (from Man City) |
| Danny Ings | Free (from Burnley) |
| Adam Bogdan | Free (from Bolton Wanderers) |
| Joe Gomez | £3.5 million (from Charlton Athletic) |
| Roberto Firmino | £29 million (from Hoffenheim) |
| Nathaniel Clyne | £12.5 million (from Southampton) |
It's not good enough for a team to rely on just two players for the majority of their goals return, especially a side with Champions League ambitions. Adding Pedro would certainly help in that regard.
He's different to what they've got, giving more options and depth where it's vital Chelsea have it.
It's a similar notion with Stones, although his capture will be a positive development for Chelsea's future as much as the present. Mourinho needs to replace Terry at some point, and the 21-year-old Englishman has all the credentials to be that man.
Things are ramping up, and if Chelsea can acquire the players they're chasing, the progress others have made elsewhere will feel like small steps compared to the giant strides we initially thought.
Garry Hayes is Bleacher Report's lead Chelsea correspondent. All quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Follow him on Twitter @garryhayes
.png?w=600 "New NBA Mock Draft 📝")
.jpg?w=600 "Offseason Moves for Every Team 👉")
